Medium Website Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete List for Windows & Mac
Medium Website keyboard shortcuts let you format and edit posts without touching the mouse. The most-used ones are Ctrl + B (bold), Ctrl + I (italic), and Ctrl + K (link) on Windows, or ⌘ + B, ⌘ + I, and ⌘ + K on Mac. To see every shortcut inside Medium at any time, press Ctrl + ? (Windows) or ⌘ + ? (Mac).
This guide lists every official Medium editor shortcut side by side for Windows and Mac, explains what each one does, and includes a free PDF cheat sheet you can keep next to your keyboard. All keys are verified against Medium’s own Help Center.
What are Medium keyboard shortcuts?
Medium keyboard shortcuts are key combinations that apply formatting and editing actions in the Medium story editor bold, italic, links, headers, quotes, code blocks, lists, and more without using the floating toolbar. Because Medium runs in the browser, the shortcuts use Ctrl and Alt on Windows and ⌘ (Command) and Opt (Option) on Mac. They work while you are writing or editing a draft, helping you keep your hands on the keyboard and stay in your writing flow.
Medium keyboard shortcuts (Windows & Mac)
Here is the complete, verified list of Medium editor shortcuts. The Windows and Mac equivalents are shown together so you can use whichever applies to your device.
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Shortcuts help | Ctrl + ? | ⌘ + ? |
| Bold | Ctrl + B | ⌘ + B |
| Italic | Ctrl + I | ⌘ + I |
| Link | Ctrl + K | ⌘ + K |
| Header | Ctrl + Alt + 1 | ⌘ + Opt + 1 |
| Subheader | Ctrl + Alt + 2 | ⌘ + Opt + 2 |
| Quote | Ctrl + Alt + 5 | ⌘ + Opt + 5 |
| Bulleted list | * + Space | * + Space |
| Numbered list | 1. + Space | 1. + Space |
| Mention a user | @username | @username |
| Separator (divider) | Ctrl + Enter | ⌘ + Enter |
| Code block | Ctrl + Alt + 6 or “` | ⌘ + Opt + 6 or “` |
| Inline code | ` (backtick) | ` (backtick) |
| Featured image | Shift + F | Shift + F |
| Focal point | Alt + Right click | Opt + Right click |
⬇ Download the Medium Shortcuts PDF cheat sheet
Formatting shortcuts explained
These are the shortcuts you’ll reach for most while writing a story:
- Bold (Ctrl/⌘ + B) — select text, then apply to emphasise key points.
- Italic (Ctrl/⌘ + I) — useful for titles, asides, and emphasis.
- Link (Ctrl/⌘ + K) — select text and paste a URL to hyperlink it. Press the same keys again to unlink.
- Header & Subheader (Ctrl/⌘ + Alt/Opt + 1 or 2) — structure your story with large and small headings.
- Quote (Ctrl/⌘ + Alt/Opt + 5) — turn a line into a pull quote. Repeat to remove it.
Code and layout shortcuts
Writers publishing tutorials or technical posts will use these often:
- Inline code (` backtick) — type a backtick, then your code, to format code inside a sentence.
- Code block (Ctrl/⌘ + Alt/Opt + 6, or type “`) — create a full multi-line code block.
- Separator (Ctrl/⌘ + Enter) — add a visual divider between sections.
- Featured image (Shift + F) — set the image that represents your story.
- Focal point (Alt/Opt + Right click) — choose which part of an image stays in frame across previews.
How to see all Medium shortcuts inside the editor
- Open any Medium story in the editor (a new or existing draft).
- Press Ctrl + ? on Windows or ⌘ + ? on Mac.
- Medium displays its built-in shortcuts panel over your draft.
- Alternatively, click the three dots (…) menu and choose Keyboard shortcuts.
Mac vs Windows: what’s different
The logic is the same on both systems only the modifier keys change. On Windows you use Ctrl and Alt; on Mac you swap those for ⌘ (Command) and Opt (Option). A few shortcuts, such as the bulleted list (* + Space), numbered list (1. + Space), inline code, and Featured image (Shift + F), are identical on both platforms.
Frequently asked questions
Does Medium have keyboard shortcuts?
Yes. Medium’s story editor includes built-in keyboard shortcuts for formatting and editing, including bold, italic, links, headers, quotes, lists, and code blocks. You can view the full list inside the editor by pressing Ctrl + ? (Windows) or ⌘ + ? (Mac).
Do Medium shortcuts work on Mac?
Yes. On Mac, replace Ctrl with ⌘ (Command) and Alt with Opt (Option). For example, bold is ⌘ + B and a header is ⌘ + Opt + 1. Some shortcuts, like the bulleted list and Featured image, are the same on Mac and Windows.
How do I make text bold on Medium?
Select the text you want to emphasise and press Ctrl + B on Windows or ⌘ + B on Mac. You can also select the text and click the B in the floating toolbar.
What is the shortcut for a code block on Medium?
Press Ctrl + Alt + 6 on Windows or ⌘ + Opt + 6 on Mac. You can also type three backticks (“`) on a new line to start a code block.
How do I see all keyboard shortcuts on Medium?
Open a story in the editor and press Ctrl + ? (Windows) or ⌘ + ? (Mac) to open Medium’s built-in shortcuts panel. You can also find it under the three-dots (…) menu.
Conclusion
Learning even a handful of these Medium keyboard shortcuts bold, italic, link, and the header keys will noticeably speed up how fast you draft and format stories. Bookmark this page or download the PDF cheat sheet, and remember you can always press Ctrl + ? or ⌘ + ? inside Medium to jog your memory.
